Portable shower stall



Oct. 15, 1957 H. s. FUTRAN PORTABLE SHOWER STALL Filed March 29, 1954 FPS United States Patent PORTABLE SHOWER STALL Herbert S. Futran, Chicago, Ill.

Application March 29, 1954, Serial No. 419,192

8 Claims. (Cl. 4-149) This invention relates to a portable shower stall and is particularly concerned with a shower stall that may easily be set up for use in a conventional bath tub and removed therefrom.

The shower stall contemplated by the present invention comprises a light framework that may be collapsed into a flat package requiring very little storage space. framework preferably comprises a panel of substantially the same width as the inside of a conventional bath tub. A curtain rod is hinged to one end of the panel, and supporting legs are pivotally secured to opposite edges of the panel adjacent the other end. The panel may be of any suitable material, such as plastic, and is preferably provided with an integral reinforcing rib which also serves to hold the hose in place. The panel may be hinged or telescoped to facilitate packing and storage.

Although'the shower stall may be made in any convenient size, it is designed especially for small children. It is perfectly safe for children of all ages, and a child taking a shower can not tamper with the flow of water. A mother can set up the shower stall in a bath tub, open The the drain to make sure that the water will not accumulate in the tub, adjust the water to the desired temperature, place the child in the shower, and go about her other duties without worrying about the child. After the child is finished with the shower, the mother can turn off the water, disconnect the hose, and collapse the shower into a flat package that may be placed behind the door or in some similar storage place.

The structure by which the above and other advantages of the invention are attained will be described in the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, showing a preferred illustrative embodiment of the invention, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a shower stall embodying the present invention set up for use in a bath tub, with the bath tub partially shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view showing the shower stall set up in a bath tub;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view, taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view, taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view through one edge of the shower panel; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the shower stall in collapsed condition.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral 2 indicates a back panel which is preferably made of a thermosetting plastic material, but may be made of any suitable material that will not be deleteriously affected by exposure to hot or cold water and has sufiicient strength for its intended purpose without being too heavy. The plastic material may be reinforced with fiber, if desired. Panel 2 is preferably provided with integrally formed tubular legs 3 and 4, at its opposite longitudinal edges, and with a centrally disposed vertically extending rein 2,309,379 Patented Oct. 15, 1957 forcing rib 5 to provide the desired rigidity. Tubular legs 3 and 4 may be of any desired cross sectional configuration, but are preferably closed on all sides to prevent entrance of water therein. The upper ends of tubular members 3 and 4 are each provided with a cap 6, and the lower ends are provided with suction cups 7 which help to hold the shower stall in place.

The centrally disposed rib 5 is shown as having a semicircular cross sectional configuration to provide a recess for receiving a hose 8 adapted to be secured to the nozzle 9 of a faucet and provided at its free end with a shower head 10. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 4, a plu rality of vertically spaced clips 11 are secured to panel 2 adjacent rib 5 to hold the hose 8 in place. Reinforcing rib 5 may be in the form of a tubular member to provide additional strength for the central longitudinal portion of the panel. Hose 8 is conventional flexible tubing, of plastic or rubber, and may be housed in the tubular reinforcing rib. The hose 8 may project through an aperture provided therefor in the tubular rib.

The upper end of panel 2 is provided with a pair of sleeves 12 and 13, into which opposite ends of a curtain rod 14 are pivotally mounted. The rod 14 is preferably provided with straight sides 15 and 16, which coincide respectively with tubular members 3 and 4 when curtain rod 14 is folded downwardly. When curtain rod 14 is in extended position it rests on caps 6 of tubular members 3 and 4 to hold it against accidental collapse. A flexible curtain 17 is conventionally supported on rod 14. The curtain may be removed before the shower stall is collapsed, or, if dry, may be folded and put away with the shower stall.

.The lower portions of tubular members 3 and 4 are provided with brackets 18 for pivotally supporting legs 19 and 20, each of which is provided with 'a'suction cup 21 to hold it in extended position against the bottom of the bath tub. Legs 19 and 20 are foldable inwardly to position them against panel 2 when the shower stall is collapsed.

In use,,panel 2 is positioned in the bathtub in such a manner as to conceal the faucet or faucets 22 from a child placed on the opposite side of the panel. The hose is connected to nozzle 9 and the faucet is turned to provide the desired flow of water. The width of panel 2 prevents a child in the shower stall from tampering with faucet 22. Legs 19 and 20, when in extended position, serve as hand rails for the child taking a shower.

Panel 2 is illustrated as comprising a unitary member, but it may be hinged transversely to permit folding into a more compact package, or may be formed of two vertically telescopic parts, if desired.

The shower stall has been described for use by small children in connection with a bath tub having no permanent shower facilities. However, it may be made in a size suitable for use by adults, if desired. It should also be understood that when the shower stall is of the size intended for small children, it may be installed in a regular shower stall or in a bath tub provided with an overhead shower head. Panel 2 is positioned so that the shower head projects over it to direct the flow of Water into the shower stall. The small shower stall serves the purpose of confining small children to an area commensurate with their size so that they are not likely to fall, and will be able to use the legs 19 and 29 to pick themselves up if they do fall.

Although I have described several preferred embodiments of my invention in considerable detail, it will be understood that the description thereof is intended to be illustrative, rather than restrictive, as many details of the structure may be modified or changed without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. For example,

the back panel-may comprise a rigid open frame covered by..fiexible material such as canvasuorwplastic. .vlnnthis event, the panel might be provided with an intermediate transverse reinforcing member, if desired. Accordingly, I do not desire, totbel'restrictedto the exact construction described. i

. I claim:

1. A portable shower stall comprising a rigid panel; a curtain rod pivotally mounted .onzthe upper edge ibf Sald panel, and a pair of supporting legs pivotally-.securedto said panel, said legs being-adapted inonepositionto support-said back'panel in vertical-position,1 said :curtain rod :and r said supporting. legs.- being :ea'ch. movable into: a plane adjacent. and parallelto the planesof said -panel, whereby .said shower. stall may b e packed: compaetly' -into a .flat package. i V

2. A portable#showenstallucomprising a rigid'panel, a curtainirodpivotally. mounted on'the upper edge-of said -.panel,- meanson the upper edge :ofrs'aidpanelto-h'old' wsaid curtain .rod extended; at-right. angles-to isaidipanel ito support acurtainrinzspaced relationship tosaichpanel, and apair of :supporting legspivotallysecured to-said -;panel,.said legs being adapted *in one=positionrto support said panel in vertical position; said \curtainrod-and's'aid supporting-legs being :each movable :intoaplaneadjacent a and;parallel: L to; the plane of :saidzpanel; whereby :said "showerzstall maybe .packedcompactly into aiflat: package. 7A portablev shower: :stall comprising a panel having rigid .longitudinalredge sportions, a curtain rodpivotally 1- mounted on: theiupper- .edge :of said panel;- the: top sof =said -.e.dge portions engaging-said curtain rodin extended posi- ;tionto: s'upportit. at right anglestdisaid panel; a supzporting 1eg;pivotally' secured toisaid paneladjacent each .of.:said 1edge:portions,said. curtain rod andeach of said ilegs heingioldableagainst said panelto facilitate packing said shower stall into a compact fiat package; 7

4. Avportablei:showertstall .comprising arig'id panel provided with edge. portions along its. longitudinal sides,

a .a- ,pairifof supporting. legs pivotally. secured-to said panel,

asoasvs a cap member secured to the top of each of said edge por- .tions, and a curtain rodpivotallysecured to-the upper edge of said panel, said cap members engaging said curtain rod for supporting it in extended position.

6. A portable shower stall comprising a panel having integral longitudinal edge portions and a centrally disposed integral reinforcing rib extending longitudinally of said panel to position a flexible hose relative to said shower stall, a curtain rod pivotally secured to the upper edge of said panel, and a" pair of supporting legs secured to said panel, saidlegs being'vmovablerelative to said panel to position both legs against said panel or to space the lower end of each leg-from the-lowenedge of said panel.

7. A portable shower stall comprising a panel having integral longitudinal edge portions and centrally disposed longitudinally extending means to house a flexible hose relative to said shower stall, a curtain rod pivotally secured to the upper edge -of sa'id"pariel; 'the tops of .said edge portions engaging said curtain rodto support it in extended position, and a 'pair of. supporting legs pivotally secured to said panel, said legsbeing movable from a position adjacent-one su'rface'of saidpanel to a shower stall comprising a panel of less widththan the -inside width of a conventional bath tub,-a-plural.ityof "and engagcablewith'the bottom of said tub, a-pair of legs "pivotally-secured to -sa'id panel; said' legs each having a suction cup mounted I on its lower: end and 'engagea'ble =withathe bottom of said tub,-a .curtain rod pivotally secured to said-paneladjacent its upperedge, and means -on -the upper edge of said-panel engagingsaid curtain rod :and a cu'rtain'rod pivotally :secured to theupper edge 40 of'said panel, the tops of said edge portions engaging: said icurtainrod forsupporting-z it. in extended position.

5. A portable shower stall comprising a :rigid: panel :provided with edge. portions. along its longitudinal sides,

to hold it in extended position.

JERQfEl'HlCES iCitedrinthei' file of 'this-patent,

"' 'UTNITED STATES" PATENTS Heuer Dec; 13,- .1932 

